Katharine S Empie

Katharine S. Empie, 102, died Friday, December 15, 2006, at the Lutheran Home at Topton.

Born in Elyria, Ohio, she was the daughter of the late Charles L. and Zada J. (Crisp) Smith. After attending Simmons College in Cambridge, MA, and graduating with a degree in Social Work, she became the head of the Luetic Clinic at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD until her marriage in 1930 to the Rev. Dr. Paul C. Empie. She began her life as a minister’s wife in Philadelphia, PA, where her husband was first pastor of Prince of Peace Church, then, in 1937, him and their three children moved to North Wales, PA, then to Upper Montclair, NJ, where her husband became first Assistant, then in 1948 Executive Director of the National Lutheran Council in NYC, and later General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation. When Dr. Empie retired from the National Lutheran Council to become the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Muhlenberg College in 1972, he and Kaye moved to a family home near Zionsville, where they resided until his death in 1979. Kaye moved to Luther Crest in 1985. In addition to being an avid reader and gardener, Kaye was active in various church-related organizations throughout her life, being a long time member of Zion’s Lutheran Church in Old Zionsville, PA. She has also participated in community activities such as the PTA and as President of Mount Hebron School Board in Upper Montclair, NJ, and as a Gray Lady with the American Red Cross. Traveling throughout the world with her husband was another of her many interests. Always an outgoing, generous person with a good sense of humor, she will be lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

She is survived by Daughters, Barbara E. (Empie) wife of Lawrence A. Greene of Zionsville, PA, Charlotte E. (Empie) wife of Rev. Walter G. Hed of Champlin, MN, Susan E. (Empie) wife of C. Richard Lower of Nacogdoches, TX; Niece, Georgeina T. wife of W. Robert Christie, Syosset, NY; 9 Grandchildren and several Great Grandchildren.

Funeral Services are Thursday, December 21, 2006 at 10:30 AM from Zion’s Lutheran Church, 5901 Kings Highway S., Old Zionsville, PA. Interment in Zion’s Lutheran Church Cemetery will immediately follow. There are no calling hours.

The family requests contributions be made Lutheran World Relief, P.O. Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21298. Arrangements are by the Ludwick Funeral Home, Topton, PA.